Schultz John
| Type of person | Individual |
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The Life and Times of John Schultz (1929– )
A Chronicle of Family, Farming, and Racing in the Murray Mallee and Gawler Districts
John Schultz was born on 9 September 1929 at the Angaston Hospital, the youngest of four children to Edwin and Elsie Schultz (née Wegener). A sister died in infancy, leaving John to grow up alongside two older brothers. His early years were shaped by farming life in the Murray Mallee during the hardships of the Depression, before the family resettled at Gawler in 1937.
Early Years and Schooling
The Schultz family first farmed near Sedan, before moving to Peake in 1932. John began school there in a one-teacher classroom serving seven grades. He recalls his first and only experience with the cane, a sign of the strict discipline of the time. In 1936 the family moved back to Sedan, and then in February 1937 to Gawler, where Edwin purchased a piggery on Scott Road. John attended Gawler Primary School for five years, later progressing to Gawler High School, then located on Lyndoch Hill. By 1941 he had passed his Qualifying Certificate, and in 1942 he entered Gawler High. He eventually gained his Leaving Certificate after setbacks, balancing academic ambition with the realities of rural life in the late 1940s.
First Employments
In 1946, John commenced work at the Savings Bank of South Australia, first in Adelaide and later at the Gawler branch. He vividly recalled the bushfire of January 1948, sparked by a steam train near the 23-mile crossing, which burned through several local properties. Seeking new opportunities, John later joined Cresco Fertilisers in Adelaide, before choosing to leave banking life to work on the land. In 1951 he married Dawn Lehmann, daughter of Herbert and Clarice Lehmann of Para Glen, thus beginning a lifelong partnership in farming and horse training.3 weeks before they were married. Dawn rode 3 winners at the Gawler Picnic race Meeting on two horses trained by her Father Para Glen and Kalperri From 1951 to 1967 John and Dawn lived at Para Glen, a property shared with Dawn’s parents. Their three children—Elaine (1954), Brian (1957), and Lynette (1961)—were all born at the Memorial Hospital. Para Glen was both a home and a horse-training centre, where John worked alongside his father-in-law “Herbie” Lehmann. In 1967, amid the drought and growing pressures of land use (including sandpit development at Para Gl en), the family moved to Kalperri, near Sandy Creek. Though generous in intention, the property was purchased in John and Dawn’s names, leaving them with heavy mortgages during difficult farming seasons.
Farming and Community Life
Life at Kalperri was marked by the extremes of nature—droughts in 1967, devastating storms in 1979, and years of crop failure. Dawn contributed significantly, working in vineyards and on the farm while also raising the children. John took up a clerical position at the Turretfield Research Centre in 1970, remaining there until his retirement in 1989. Meanwhile, the Schultz family was deeply active in the Sandy Creek community, especially the local school. John served on numerous committees, while Dawn supported both farm and family, and also did her share of Community involvement with Rosedale – Sandy Creek Womens Agricultural Bureau now disbanded. Three generations of their family would attend Sandy Creek Primary, linking their story closely with that of the district.
Racing and the Adelaide Cup
Horse racing was central to both the Schultz and Lehmann families. Herbie Lehmann, licensed as a trainer since 1931, achieved his crowning success when his mare Jamagne won the 1964 Adelaide Cup, later adding further cup victories. John, meanwhile, gained his own training licence in 1955 and enjoyed success with horses such as Rugby Star, Matmurth, and Hunting Horn. John’s career included both flat and hurdle racing, with notable later involvement in jumping. Over nearly five decades, he trained more than 600 runners, with 65 wins, 92 seconds, and 63 thirds—a proud record for a “hobby trainer” whose first duty was always to the farm. Family and Tragedy John and Dawn’s children followed varied paths. Elaine and Lynette entered office work, while Brian developed great skill with his hands and pursued a speedway racing career. He won three state titles before his untimely death in 1986 following a racing accident at Port Pirie, leaving behind a young family. The Schultz grandchildren, like their parents, grew up between ponies, motorbikes, and community life in Sandy Creek.
Later Years and Legacy
After retiring from Turretfield, John remained active as a clerk at stock and station auction sales until 2015, while also serving on racing committees, including the Gawler Jockey Club. He was involved during crucial years when the club fought to remain in Gawler. In October 2007, John and Dawn sold the Sandy Creek farm and moved into Gawler, marking the end of more than half a century on the land.
The life of John Schultz reflects the story of many South Australian farming families: resilience through droughts and storms, commitment to family and community, and a passion—in his case for racing—that wove through every stage of his life. Alongside Dawn, his partner of more than seventy years, John balanced farm, family, and horses, leaving a legacy remembered not only in fields and paddocks, but also in racecourses, schools, Churches and community halls across the Gawler and Sandy Creek districts.
John and his wife Dawn still regularly attend Gawler History Team meetings.
Please click here for photos of John Schultz.
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